General Interest

Bee Friendly Gardening Tips

There are lots of ways that you can make your garden friendly for wildlife.

Roselle Chapman from Wild Oxfordshire shares some of her top tips here listen from 5 minutes 30 seconds) or read. Bee Friendly, Bulbs, Plants And Gardening Tips PRJan21

https://pennypost.org.uk/2020/12/wildlife-friendly-gardening-tips/?fbclid=IwAR2Mr_n35twGCux42gX9A7TQ7DY5X2Os9ibaRbJqaOgaZ1IhguwURmp1TM0

Gardening for bees and other pollinators

Bee facts

250 species of bees in the UK, 224 wild solitary bees, 25 wild bumble bees. One domesticated honey bee.

Trees you can plant this winter to help pollinators

Male grey willow (sallow) Salix cinerea, Goat willow Salix caprea, Small-leaved lime Tilia cordata, Service trees: Sorbus torminalis, Sorbus domestica, Apple Malus sp – any, fruit bearing, or ornamental, Cherry Plum – Prunus cerasifera, Wild Hawthorn – Crataegus monogyna/laevigata

Gardening tips

Leave the dead plant stems over winter. Hollow stems may be used by bees for over wintering.  Provide flowers throughout the year – some bees emerge as early as February. Buy organic to ensure bulbs and plants haven’t been treated with  neonicotinoids. Have a flowering lawn. Provide a source of water for bees. Leave a patch of bare earth – mason bees gather mud to build egg cells. Include a variety flower shapes – different species have different tongue lengths.

More information can be found:

https://www.wildoxfordshire.org.uk/communities/resources/